Edit 12/29/18: This was originally titled "Bread, Rules, and Spirits" as it was intended to be a one-shot collection. But I only wrote one fic, so I edited it into the stand-alone story that it is & updated the summary. Thanks for reading!

Bread
Characters: Zed, Miki, and Roya

"No! Zed, you knead it like this." Miki laughed as he watched his white haired friend fumble with the tough dough. He had enough strength into it, but his technique was lacking. Miki set his own mixing bowl down onto the wood table before walking over to the struggling boy. The rain patting and dripping down the room dimmed any aggravating atmosphere that the work of bread making could create. It was far too relaxing to be depressing. "You need to roll it occasionally so it doesn't get so flat."

"This is so stupid," Zed grumbled as Miki reached over his arms to fold the dough over. They were treating him like a small child! Despite his complaints, he watched as Miki rolled the bread. It might be good to pay attention considering what a disaster his last bread attempt turned out to be. Didn't mean he'd let his friends know that. "Why am I helping again?"

Roya laughed as she wiped some sweat from her brow. While Miki made dough from scratch, and Zed attempted to knead it, she had the job of rolling it into the cute clover shapes that Miki was so famous for. Though, she would have preferred working somewhere not so close to the ovens. It was a bit sultry over here with the wet air from the rain mixed with the heat. "I keep asking that myself, but Miki really wanted us to do something together. Didn't you?"

Miki blushed at the bright smile and mumbled something about just needing help for a large order; but it was true. He did miss having all of them hang out together. With so much going on with casting competitions and the like they hadn't had much time to relax. He liked seeing Zed and Roya together and happy; made his house feel more like home since Master had left. "Sorry if it's wasting your time. I guess you guys could be out practicing with your spirits, huh?"

Zed rolled his eyes. "It's not that bad. It's kind of fun."

Miki perked up with a smile and paused in mixing the milk into the flour. "Really?"

"Really." Zed nodded and continued working his hands into the thick dough. Sort of reminded him of clay dough and being a kid; too bad it was so much work.

"Really really!" Roya giggled and pulled down the oven for the fresh tray. If they hurried; they might get to taste some of the bread before braving the rain to deliver it! "Now let's get to work!"

"Yes Ma'am!" The two boys chorused.